Ratchanok wins Paris opener
Fresh from her stunning victory at the Denmark Open, Ratchanok Intanon continued her fine form at the US$325,000 (approximately 10.8 million baht) French Open yesterday.
The eighth-seeded Thai defeated Cheung Ngan Yi of Hong Kong 24-22, 21-16 to book her berth in the second round of the BWF Superseries tournament at Stade Pierre de Coubertain in Paris.
Cheung put up a brave fight and pushed world No.9 Ratchanok hard in the opening game. The Thai star, who was clearly feeling the effects of her tough win over Akane Yamaguchi in the Odense final on Sunday, was forced to dig deep before pulling off a 43-minute victory against her 16thranked opponent.
Ratchanok will today fight compatriot Busanan Ongbamrungphan for a place in the quarter-finals after the world No.17 cruised past Yip Pui Yin, another Hong Kong player, 21-8, 21-18 in just 28 minutes yesterday.
Ratchanok could face top seed Tai Tzuying in the quarter-finals. The Thai upset the Taiwanese world No.1 in the semi-finals in Odense on Saturday.
Tai began her campaign yesterday with a 21-9, 19-21, 21-16 win over Chen Xiaoxin of China. Tai will meet either Dinar Dyah Ayustine of Indonesia or Saena Kawakami of Japan in today’s second round.
Spain’s reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin, who is seeded fourth this week, beat Japan’s Minatsu Mitani 21-17, 21-18 while China’s Chen Yufei, who lost to Yamaguchi in the Odense semi-finals, beat Natalia Perminova of Russia 21-13, 21-18.
In other first round matches involving Thai players, Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai lost to Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara of Japan 21-16, 19-21, 16-21 in the women’s doubles event, Kosit Phetprabab lost to Sai B Praneeth of India 13-21, 23-21, 19-21 in the men’s singles, and Tinn Isriyanet and Pacharapun Chochuwong fell to Ivan Sozonov and Evgeniya Kosetskaya of Russia 21-23, 17-21 in the mixed doubles.
Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk and Suppanyu Avihingsanon were scheduled to meet in the first round of the men’s singles later last night.